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The ability to hear allows you to enjoy the little things in life, like music, movies, and conversations with loved ones. Hearing is important to your quality of life, so it’s important to protect it. While you cannot prevent natural hearing loss, the kind that occurs due to the aging process, you can help prevent other types of hearing loss. The best way to do this is to take active steps to prevent hearing loss from activities and habits that you can control. There are many things you do that impact your hearing, both for good and for bad. The following tips will help you avoid those activities that can hurt your hearing and build habits that can help preserve it. 1. Stay away from loud noise Noise-induced hearing loss occurs when you’re around loud sounds. Generally, this occurs from repeat, and continual exposure, but not always. The best way to prevent this problem is to be mindful of loud environments. This can include concerts, sporting events and even work events like conferences. Some hobbies, like woodworking or target practice, may also expose you to loud sounds. Be mindful of how loud your space is and wear protection to protect yourself. If you work in a loud environment, like the airport, wear ear-protection daily. 2. Always have ear-protection handy It is always important to protect your hearing from loud noises, but you may not always know that it’s necessary. So, while it’s easy to know you need protection if you work at the airport, you may not realize that a movie or speech is going to be too loud. For this reason, you should keep some type of ear protection handy, even if it is just foam ear plugs. If you have young ones, have age-appropriate ear protection ready for them as well. It is never too early to start protecting their hearing! 3. Limit or stop using earbuds Earbuds are popular, and they are convenient due to their size, but they can be problematic. Earbuds deliver sound directly to your ear and can be damaging even at moderate volumes. When possible, consider using over-the-ear headphones, the old-fashioned type that sit on your ears. Remember to keep the volume at a reasonable level as well, because they can still cause hearing damage at high volumes. 4. Have regular hearing tests It can be easy to forget that your hearing needs to be checked, but yearly hearing tests are important! A hearing test can establish a baseline for your hearing capabilities, and spot changes early on. This is a great tool to protect your hearing and identify problems when they can be more easily mitigated. You can also use the exam as an opportunity to ask questions and get recommendations, like what kind of hearing protection should you use? Being proactive with your health is important, and that includes your hearing! Hearing damage is often permanent and irreversible, making prevention especially critical. So, establish a relationship with a hearing professional in your area and work to safeguard your ability to hear. And if you don’t know how to get started, visit one of our locations near you and we’ll be happy to help.

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